


Nothing Like You and I

by writteninblood



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Damn You Gabe, Fluff, Future Fic, I Trusted You Gabe, Light Angst, M/M, Murder Husbands, Weddings, no longer canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-24 14:59:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10744044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writteninblood/pseuds/writteninblood
Summary: Jim has an ill-timed confession.





	Nothing Like You and I

Having told everyone to get out, Oswald stares intently at the origami penguin on his dresser. It’s turned a brownish grey colour over the years, and it’s frayed along the edges. But nonetheless, he’s kept it. It, like him, somehow survived all the challenges of the last twenty years, both survivors of pain, heartbreak and seemingly endless destruction. It’s a symbol of perseverance and hope, that while the path may seem long and difficult to follow at times, it will lead you to the right place eventually.

And that’s what Oswald feels, an overwhelming sense of rightness. He’d thought he would be nervous, jittery or even scared, after everything. But he just feels at calm and peaceful, like everything was worth it, if it was leading him here. He stares at his reflection; his hair now flecked with grey, gaunt facial features, monocle firmly in place over his right eye. All the marks of age are there and Oswald wears them with pride; there were many times when he thought he wouldn’t make it this far. 

He had wanted a few moments alone before being whisked away to the church. Because these are his last few moments as Oswald Cobblepot, and only a fool doesn’t take a moment of reflection before such a milestone event. But now he finds he cannot wait to end his time as a legally single man – his marriage to Edward Nygma has been such a long time coming that he wants to run to the altar. He’s waited long enough. 

*

In the absence of any family members to give either of them away, they’d decided they wanted to walk down the aisle together. They’d agreed to meet at the church entrance at three o’clock. Given Ed’s penchant for order and timeliness, it is a bit odd when Oswald steps out of the limousine and Ed isn’t there. He’d been looking forward to being welcomed by Ed’s smiling face, not to mention finally getting to see his suit. Ed has been annoyingly secretive about it. 

Oswald jumps when he feels a hand on his shoulder. He whirls around a little too quickly, his grip on his cane faltering.

‘Do you want me to go and find him, boss?’ Gabe rumbles. He has never trusted Edward Nygma, much less the RIddler.

Oswald looks at the empty road in front of the church. The light is poor as the sky has been darkening for a while now. A storm is coming. _Perfect_ , Oswald thinks, as he tries to quell the black feeling of foreboding. 

‘No.’ Oswald fidgets with the tip of his cane. He can’t meet Gabe’s eyes.

‘Do you want me to kill him?’ 

That elicits a quiet chuckle. ‘For the last time, no Gabe, I do not want you to kill Ed.’ He looks up. He sees the concern on his face, his unquestioning devotion and loyalty. Gabe is the only one who’s _always_ been there. It means more to him than he can express. He hopes that Gabe knows that.

‘Thank you, Gabe. For everything.’ He takes one of Gabe’s hands and squeezes it. Gabe’s expression changes from concern to fondness, even smiles one of his rare smiles. 

‘You go on inside, Gabe. I am certain Ed will arrive shortly.’ He hopes he sounds more confident than he feels. Even now, old wounds have the potential to make themselves known. He supposes he will never completely move on from some of the things he and Ed did to each other. His current trust in Ed is hard won and real, but it hasn’t made him forget.

With a single nod, Gabe shuffles past him and into the church. Gabe stopped being a real threat to anyone years ago, he’s too old, too large and too slow. But Oswald likes to humour him, and his promises to kill anyone who wrongs Oswald in any way. More than anything he’s like a doting, overprotective grandfather. With a machine gun.

Smiling to himself at the thought, he turns his attention once again to the street. Ed will be here. After all, Ed was the one who proposed, who put the plans for all this in motion. He thinks back on the proposal as he absently watches the road for Ed’s limousine. Contrary to his personality and much of their history together, it had been very low-key and subtle. They’d been sitting on the couch on the balcony of the Iceberg Lounge, people watching in comfortable silence. The music made it too loud to have a conversation without raised voices anyway. Ed had reached over and taken his hand to get his attention. Which it did anyway, because it was very rare for them to show affection in public. Oswald had automatically looked around them but to his surprise saw absolutely no one else present on the balcony. He was internally cursing his security staff as he turned back to Ed, only to find him on one knee in front of him. His breath had caught in his throat as Ed opened a small ring box. But it was the look on Ed’s face that got him the most. It was displaying a happy, hopeful, open sort of vulnerability that he very rarely showed. The up-slant of his eyebrows changed his entire demeanour. He could be a cold, calculating, ferocious man, but when they were together, he was both Edward Nygma and the Riddler. With Oswald, over time, he had found that the two sides of himself could exist happily together, that he didn’t need to be just one or the other. Ed finally seemed at peace with himself. When Ed’s expression had started to falter, mind probably going into overdrive with self-doubt, Oswald realised he had been staring in shock for too long. He smiled a watery smile as he leaned down to kiss Ed, ignoring the slight twinge in his stomach that had never completely gone away.

Oswald is pulled from his thoughts by someone running up the steps of the church towards him. He’s trying to school his features out of showing relief when he realises who it is. 

‘ _Jim?_ ’ Oswald immediately starts to panic. Why is the commissioner of the GCPD here? Had something happened to Ed? ‘What are you doing here? Is everything all right?’

‘No it’s not, Oswald.’

Oswald’s panic starts to spiral out of control, Jim hasn’t referred to him as Oswald in many years. He can feel sweat starting to bead on his forehead. He takes a deep breath. ‘What is wrong? Is Ed hurt? What is going on?’

‘Ed’s fine, Oswald. I’m not here about him. Well, that is, I am, in a way. But mostly, this is about you. And me. Us.’ Jim motions between them as he steps right into Oswald’s personal space. Oswald feels vaguely uncomfortable being in such close proximity to that hideous moustache. 

‘Jim? What are you doing?’ Oswald murmurs, moving a step backwards instinctively. 

‘You can’t marry him, Oswald. You just can’t.’

‘That’s absurd, Jim. I am going to marry Edward.’

‘The man is a deranged psychopath, Oswald! He’s a murderer, he’s tried to kill you on multiple occasions! How can you vow to spend the rest of your life with him? I would protect you, like I’ve always tried to protect you-’

‘Ha! Like the time you let me go to Arkham and take the fall for a murder _you_ committed? You are just like us, Jim. You think that just because you’re Commissioner Gordon now that makes you a white knight? I know different Jim, _we_ know different.’

‘I’ve tried to make amends for that, Oswald. It was so long ago, can’t we just, I mean, you forgave Ed for everything he’s done to you, and it’s so much worse...’

Oswald could feel rage bubbling inside him alongside the concern for Ed’s whereabouts. ‘IS IT JIM?’ he bursts out. ‘I beg to differ. Ed never lied to me. He was never anyone less than himself, he always made his intentions clear. He offered me unconditional friendship, which is more than I can say for you. Yes, you saved my life, but in every instance thereafter you shunned me, Jim. I tried so many times to reach out to you, and every time you rejected me. Why is it that you suddenly care?’

‘I...’ Jim tilts his head slightly to one side and purses his lips, as though trying to convey why he’s there without actually having to say it. 

Oswald’s eyes widen and he splutters. ‘You cannot be serious, Jim!’ 

Jim runs a hand through his hair, distressed. ‘I’ve tried to fight it, I have. You’re a criminal! You’re the dark and I’m the light! What was it you said to me all those years ago? _It’s better to walk with a friend in the dark than to walk alone in the light_. You were right Oswald. We fit together, two sides of the same coin. You _have_ to see that!’

‘I gave you so many chances, Jim, and you treated me like I was nothing, every single time. You think that the silent agreement we’ve had to leave each other alone is somehow compensation for the way you treated me? Were it not for the fact you saved my life, I would have let Edward kill you a long time ago.’

Jim looks distraught, hands on his hips, looking skyward, as if it might provide answers. 

‘Oswald, I...’

‘Say it.’ Oswald spits. ‘Go on, say it. Say you love a criminal. A murderer. A maniac.’ Oswald stares at him expectantly, brows furrowed.

‘I...’ Jim tries again, but stalls. He seems to fold in on himself, defeated. He looks up one last time, takes a deep breath as though he’s finally going to say it and–

Oswald will never know, because Jim’s lying unconscious on the floor having been knocked out by Ed’s question mark cane. 

‘ _Oswald_.’ Ed says, throwing his cane aside and enveloping Oswald in a hug. Oswald’s face is crushed to his chest, but he doesn’t care. Even after years of Ed initiating hugs, he still can’t get enough of them. He grips Ed tightly. 

When they part, the first thing Oswald notices is Ed’s blackened eye, and the cut on his lip. His glasses have a crack in one side and don’t sit on his nose quite right.

‘What _happened_?’

‘I’m so sorry I’m late Oswald. This buffoon here had the Lounge surrounded by police, so I had to resort to more, _creative_ methods to get out. Let’s just say the Bat would be proud of the gravity defying feat I pulled off in order to escape the building. But even then I got into an altercation with one of the officers stationed in the back alley. It doesn’t look too bad does it, Oswald?’ Ed asks, tentatively touching his lip. 

Oswald diffuses, the rage goes out of him like a deflating balloon. At least Ed had only had to deal with the GCPD, and not, say, the Bat, who has the ability to cause them actual problems. He’s still half expecting to see that ridiculous silhouette perched atop the church, ready to ruin their special day. 

Oswald doesn’t have the heart to tell Ed how brightly the bruising is spreading around his eye and cheekbone. Although he does find it rather dashing, especially with the accompanying story of Ed literally fighting his way to get to their wedding. 

‘No, you look handsome as always.’

Ed’s face lights up, and he leans down to kiss Oswald. It becomes passionate as tongues intertwine and fingers start to wind into each other’s hair. That’s when Oswald catches himself.

‘Okay let’s get inside before we get any more dishevelled.’ Which reminds him – Ed’s suit.

He’s deeply amused and gratified to see that Ed had similar ideas to him. Instead of his usual complete green ensemble, the lapels and lining are purple, and there’s a small umbrella embroidered on the bottom of his tie. Oswald has question marks on his cufflinks and a deep green bow tie. They both smile as they take note of the little touches that each represent the other.

As Oswald’s gaze reaches Ed’s shoes, he catches sight of Jim, still unconscious at their feet. He fishes his phone out of his pocket and fires off a quick text to Gabe – it would be unsightly if there was a body on the steps when they emerge from the church as husbands. He pockets the phone and tries to shake the whole incident from his mind. He looks up to see Ed eyeing him curiously.

‘I don’t think even he knew what he was doing here.’ Oswald says sadly. 

‘Something righteous and pathetic, no doubt.’ 

‘No doubt you’re right.’ Oswald murmurs, staring intently at the grass.

Ed lifts a hand to hook a finger under Oswald’s chin and tilt it up to face him. 

‘Are you all right, Oswald?’ 

Oswald can’t bear that look of concern on his face. He can see self-doubt there too, and barely contained jealousy. Now is the time to unburden himself of this truth. He takes a deep breath.

‘I was infatuated with him a long time ago. He was the first person to show me any affection other than my mother. But I know now that, he only let me live because he was just starting out in his career. If he had been in that situation later in his career, he would have shot me the way he shot Gallavan. I realised that years ago. He is simply the man who saved my life because he was too afraid to do otherwise. Nothing more, nothing less.’

Oswald takes Ed’s hand in his and meets his eyes. ‘There is no Penguin without Edward Nygma.’ 

It’s a more powerful declaration than ‘I love you’ and Oswald can see that Ed knows it. He takes a deep breath and Oswald guesses it’s to try and get a hold of his emotions. It wouldn’t do to cry before the wedding. 

Ed smiles brightly and proffers his arm. ‘May I?’ 

Oswald beams back at him as he links his arm with Ed’s and they walk into the church together.

Outside, the clouds part and the sun shines on the grass of the churchyard. The storm never comes.

**Author's Note:**

> Bruce Wayne is inside the church in the back row.


End file.
